Signaling device



Sept. 17, 1935. i vc. MILLER 2,014,444

` SIGNALING DEVICE Filed Juge 15, 1952 zvf 2 INVENTOR C'iso'n Miller f A QRNEYS Patented sept. 17, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE SIGNALING DEVICE New York Application June 13, 1932, Serial No. 616,854

18 Claims.

This invention relates to signaling devices and more particularly to the construction and installation of audible signaling devices such as buzzers,

bells, and the like.

One of the objects of this invention is to providean inexpensive, compact, and rugged signaling construction and installation of the abovernentioned character adapted particularly for rapid manufacture and inexpensive and speedy installation. Another object l to provide a signaling unit capable of rapid manufacture on a quantity scale and capable oi' reliable and dependable action in practical use. Another object is to provide a signaling unit construction of the i5 above-mentioned character which will be well protected both in transit or shipment and when installed. Another object is to provide a construction of the above-mentioned character in which the individual parts may be rapidly and e@ inexpensively manufactured and assembled. Other objects will' be in part obvious or in part pointed out hereinafter.

ri'he invention accordingly consists in the fea tures of construction, combinations oi elements,

25 and arrangements of parts as will be exemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described and the scope 'of the application of 'which will be indicated in the following claims.

in the accompanying drawing in which is 39 shown one of various possible embodiments of my invention,

Figure l is a front elevation of the signaling installation;

Figure 2 is a central vertical sectional view as seen along the line 2 2 of Figure l, certain parts,

however, being shown in elevation;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view as seen. along the line 3 3 oi Figure 2;

Figure Li is a front elevation, as seen from the 4@ left in Figure 2 or Figure 3, oi the signaling unit; Figure 5 is a perspective view on a smaller scale of part oi the enclosing means forming part oi the signaling unit; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective 'vieur showing how` part of the enclosing rneans is held in assembled relation 'to the rest of the enclosing means.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the dravv==- ing.

Referring now more particularly to Figures l and 2 of the drawing, there is shown atV Mia wail such as is employed in usual building construe tion work and which may be ci any construction. 55 The wall i2 is provided in any suitable way with `Ila and Mb of the box are provided with suitable 5 lugs, brackets, or the like, indicated at I5 and I6 by which the box may be secured in place in the recess i5 of the wall I2. The box is provided with appropriate knock-outs I I in its walls through any one of which a conduit ,it (Figure 2), of 10 metal or other tubing, iiexible or otherwise and buried in or carried through the Wall I2, may be brought into the box it so that the cable i9 carrying conductors 2G, 2l and 22, for example, may, with the latter, be brought into the box. 15 The conductors are to be connected to the signaling apparatus which is to be mounted in the box it.

The box (It, as above noted, is preferably oi anyusual standarol'construction and is accordingly 20 provided with supporting means such as flanges or ears t@ and 2d provided respectively with threaded openings and 2t spaced apart vertically by a standard distance; these openings, moreover, are threaded to receive suitable screws, 25 ail for a purpose more clearly described below.

The signaling `unit includes a sheet rnetal stamping generally indicated at 2i (see also Figure d) which is shaped to provide a front portion 2te oi a width closely approximating the Width oi 30 a standard outlet box where the latter is of the shingle-gang size and is ot a length approximating that of the vertical ension of the interior of the box it; the sheet metal member 2i is bent at 2lb and v2te at right angles to the plane of the 35 iront portion 2te to provide upper and lower end members 2id andi (iiigures 2, d and 3), thus to provide upper and lower Walls integrally formed with the iront walt 2te.

These upper and lower end vvalls 2id vand 211e 40 are cut out as at 2W and tlg (Figure 2) to leave lugs or ears 2th and Elli (Figures 2 and d) that extend along the center line of the member 227i (Figure d) and extend also substantially in the plane oi the iront Wall lle (see Figure 2). These 45 extensions or lugs 2i and i211! are of sucient length to extend over rest against the supporting portions and 2t of the box it (Figure 2) and are provided with holes 2t and 29 (Figure l) spaced apart by the saine distance as 5i) are the holes ttl and in the supporting ears Zd and 2t of the box id. l

The iront wall portion 2171i (Figures 2 and 4i) is apertured in any suitabie wat?, preferably by iJIO viding therein hontally extending but vertically spaced cuts, the intervening horizontal strips of metal being bent outwardly and downwardly (Figure 2) at a suitable angle, thus to provide louvers 3|). The louvers 3|! cova an area which leaves a peripheral or marginal portion of the front wall 21 above the louver 30, as appears better in Figure 4, and in case the sheet metal employed is somewhat light in thickness, I may and preferably do reinforce the front wall 21fL by means of vertically extending side marginal flanges 21k and 21m (Figure 4) which are preferably bent inwardly and flush against the inside face of the wall portion 21a. Thus, the latter is assured of adequate rigidity.

To one of the end walls, preferably the lower one and hence end wall 21e and at its right-hand end as viewed in Figures 2 and 3, I mount side by side two electromagnetic devices generally indicated at 3| and 32, respectively. These are conveniently and preferably in the form of solenoids provided respectively with windings 3| and 32a within which operate and slide cores 3|b and 32b urged in an upward direction as viewed in Figure 2 by bifurcated leaf springs 33 and 34, respectively, the springs engaging underneath the disk-like heads 3|c and 32C, respectively. of the l cores 3|b and 32h.

The detailed construction of these electromagnetic devices and their mounting, as by screws |35 (Figure 2) are not dealt with herein inasmuch as they may take the form described in my co-pending application Serial No. 502,651, filed December 16, 1930, to which reference may be made in this respect.

The leaf springs 33 and 34 are secured as by rivets to a sheet metal bracket 35 shaped as is better shown in Figures 2 and 3 and whose upper end is secured to the inside face of the front Wall 21a as by spot welding, as is indicated in Figure 2 at 36.

To the intermediate vertical portion of the bracket 35 1 secure in any suitable manner a gong 31 arranged substantially as shown in Figure 2 and thus positioned to be engaged by the hammer head of the core 3|a o! the device 3|, leaf spring 33 urging the core 3|a upwardly and holding it in contact with the gong 31.

As is better shown in Figure 3, the lower horizontal portion of the bracket 35 which is made of a suitably rigid piece of sheet metal and has an extension 35al of suflicient length to extend over the disk-like part 32c of the core `32", the disk-like head being held in contact with the rigid extension 35 by the leaf spring 34.

If, now, the windings 3|L and 32 are energized by a. suitable varying or pulsating current, illustratively an alternating current such as the 60- cycle current usual in household lighting systems, each pulse of current draws down the cores of the solenoids against the action of the leaf springs which return the cores at suitable speed when the current pulse diminishes to a suitable minimum value, thus causing the core 3|* to strike the gong 31 and the core 32b to strike the rigid extension 35l of the bracket 35. This step is 'repeated for the successive pulses or cycles and in the one case the gong is made to produce a musical note and in the other case the rapid striking of the rigid extension 35 causes a buzzing sound.

As is better shown in Figure 2 and as is also indicated in Figure 4, I mount upon the lower end wall 21 and intermediate of the front wall 21* and of the electromagnetic devices a connecting panel'or terminal board which preferably takes the form of tworectangularly shaped sheets of insulating material 38 and 39 made of hard rubber, fiber, or the like, the one being upon the inner face and the other upon the outer face ofthe end wall 21e, the end wall 21e being suitably apertured. The terminal board 38-39 carries a suitable number of connecting terminals or binding posts illustratively three in number and indicated at 4D, 4| and 42 (Figure 4), being in sulated from the sheet metal supporting parts by the insulating Imembers 38-39.

The upper or inner parts of the terminals as viewed in Figure 2 are connected permanently to the windings 3iand 32a. For example, one end of each of these windings may be connected to a common binding post, such as the binding post 4|, the other end of the Winding 3|a may be connected to the binding post 40, and the other end of the 'Winding 32n may be connected to the binding post 42. Thus, the lower or exposed parts of these binding posts as viewed in Figures 2 and 4 and which-may take the form of screws as indicated, are available to have the, conductors 20, 2| and 22 (Figure 2) connected thereto At the outer edge portions of the junction between the upper and lower end walls 21d and 21e with the front wall portion 2l, these end Walls are notched as is better indicated at 43 in Figure 3 with respect to the end wail 21C. After the parts of the signaling unit have been assembled as, above described, the unit is closed by a sheet metal member 44 shaped substantially as is shown in Figure 5. The member 44 has a back wall 44a and side walls 44b and 44c whose free ends are bent toward each other to form flanges 45 and 46. The part 4 is shown in Figure 5 on a reduced scale but it is dimensioned in vertical cross-section so that the upper and lower end walls 21d and 21e may be tted within and between the walls of the member 4, the latter having a length at least equal to the outside vertical spacing of these end walls.

The member 44 is made, as above noted, of a suitable sheet metal and is slid over the vertically alined endwalls 21d and 21e, the flanges 45 and 46 entering and being guided by the notches 43 (Figure 3) in the upper and lower end walls 21c1 and 21 (see also FigureI 6); this sliding movement is continued until these end walls close the upper and lower open ends of the member 44, the back Wall 44 of which having depressions 41 and 48 (Figures 5 and 2) which, due to the yieldability of the sheet metal spring over and in between the upper and lower'end walls, as is better shown in Figure 2, thus preventing vertical displacement of the closure member 44. Thus, this signaling mechanism is completely housed or enclosed though the binding posts 40, 4| and 42 will be seen to be accessible from the exterior while the louvered front wall 3D freely permits the emission of the sound producd by the audible signaling devices thus enclosed.

The extensions or lugs 21h and 21-l are provided with threaded openings 49 and 5U having preferably a spacing as is pointed out below; as is shown in Figure 4 these openings are on the center line of the .unit and are alined with the openings 28 and 29. Where the sheet metal employed is relatively light, I may and preferably do draw the metal of the attaching lugs 21h and 21j into lthe form of short tubes, as is better shown in Figure 2, in order thus to provide a greater axial length of metal for the threading of these holes.

The conductors having been brought through a CII knockout and thus into the box u may be conpost exposed outwardly thereof and in electrical connection with said signaling means, the notches in said upper and lower end Walls being vertically alined, a member substantially U-shaped in cross-section and forming the side and back walls of said casing, said member having inwardly directed flanges in the side wall portions thereof received into said alined notches, whereby said U-shaped member may be slid onto or off of said end walls, and means for holding said U-shaped member against unintentional sliding of the latter when it is in place.

5. A signaling unit comprising, in combination, a sheet metal casing having a louvered front wall and provided with opposed end walls extending substantially at right angles to the front wall and having extensions substantially in the plane of the front wall adapted to rest against and be secured to the supporting portions of an outlet box, said end walls having notches in their side edges, electric signaling means mounted between said end walls, a terminal board carried by one of said end walls and having a binding post exposed outwardly thereof and in electrical connection with said signaling means, the notches in said opposed end walls being vertically alined, a member of yieldable sheet material substantially U-shaped in cross-section and forming the other opposed walls of said casing, said member having inwardly directed anges in the side wall portions thereof received into said alined notches, whereby said U-shaped member may be slid onto or off of said end walls, and means utilizing the yieldability of the sheet material of said U-shaped member and coacting with a part of one of said opposed walls for releasably holding said U- shaped member against sliding movement relative to said end walls in the direction of removal.

6. A signaling unit comprising, in combination, a sheet metal casing having a louvered front wall and provided with opposed end walls extending substantially at right angles to the front wall and having extensions substantially in the plane of the front wall adapted to rest against and be secured to the supporting portions of an outlet box, said end walls having notches in their side edges, electric signaling means mounted between said end walls, a terminal board carried by one of said end walls and having a binding post exposed outwardly thereof and in electrical connection with said signaling means, the notches in said opposed end walls being vertically alined, a member substantially U-shaped in cross-section and forming the side and back walls of said casing, said member having inwardly directed flanges in the side wall portions thereof received into said alined notches, whereby said U- shaped member, with its flanges moving along said alined notches, may be slid onto or off of said end walls and spaced projections on said U-shaped member for coacting with an end wall edge for limiting the sliding movement thereof relative to said end Walls and for preventing said flanges from moving out of disengagement with their respective notches.

7. A signaling unit comprising, in combination, a sheet metal casing having a louvered front wall and provided with integrally formed upper and lower end walls bent at right angles to the front wall and having extensions substantially vin the plane of the front wall adapted to rest having side rnd back walls formed as a unit, and means for detachably securing the latter to the remainder of said casing.

8, A signaling unit comprising, in combination, a sheet metal casing having a` louvered front wall and provided with spaced end walls extending substantially at right angles to the front wall and having extensions substantially in the plane of the front wall adapted to rest against and be secured to the supporting portions of an outlet box, electric signaling means mounted between said end walls, an insulating terminal board carried by ,one of said end walls and having a binding post, conductive means permanently connecting said post with said electric signaling means, said binding post being exposed exteriorly of said end wall and thereby adapted to have an extraneous conductor secured thereto, closure means forming the sides and back for said casing, and means detachably interlocking with at least one of said wall members for holding said closure means in place.

9. In construction of the character described, in combination, a conduit box having a knock-out in a wall thereof and having supporting means provided with threaded openings in opposed end walls thereof, a sheet metal member having a louver therein, said sheet metal member being dimensioned to substantially close the open end of said conduit box and having extensions resting against the supporting means on the end walls of said box, signaling means carried by said sheet metal member on that side thereof facing inwardly of said box, screws passed through said extensions and threaded into the openings in said supporting means for securing said member in place, and a cover plate secured to said member and overlapping said box.

10. In construction of the character described, in combination, a conduit box having a knockout in a wall thereof and having supporting means provided with threaded openings in opposed end walls thereof, a sheet-like member bridged across the open end of said box and extending substantially in the plane of said sup- 4 porting means and resting on said supporting means, screws threaded into the openings in said supporting means for securing said member in place, said member having a portion intermediate of its ends that is of an area to substantially close the open end of said box, sig- `naling means carried by said member on that side thereof facing inwardly of said box, said member having spaced threaded openings therein, a cover plate overlapping said member, and screws threaded into said spaced threaded openings in said member for securing said cover plate to the latter.

1l. In construction of the character described, in combination, a sheet metal member having an intermediate louvered portion and end members bent at right angles thereto, signaling means carried by said member and positioned intermediate of said end members, and detachable means for completing the enclosing of said signaling means. f

12. In construction of the character described, in combination, a sheet metal member having an intermediate louvered portion and end portions adapted to rest against and be secured to the supporting portions of an outlet box, said sheet metal member extending substantially in the plane of said supporting portions, signaling means carried by said member and mounted adjacent the inner face of said member, a member substantially U -shaped in cross section and form- ,ing side and back walls for bridging over and 13. In construction of the character described,

iin/combination, a sheet metal member having an intermediate louvered portion and end portions adapted to rest against and be securedto the supporting portions of an outlet box, said sheet metal member extending substantially yin the plane of said supporting portions, signaling means carried by said member and mounted adjacent the inner face of said member, sheet metal means connected to the rear face of said sheet metal member and forming at least three covering walls extending substantially at right angles toeach ,other and complementary to the intermediate portion of Vsaid sheet metal member, thereby toy substantiallyenclose said signaling means on at vleastfour sides thereof, one of said covering walls being apertured, and a terminal board of insulating material having a plurality of binding posts closing the aperture in said wall while exposing the binding posts therethrough. I

14. In construction of the character described in combination, a sheet' metal member having end portions adapted to rest against the supporting portions of an outlet box and having an intermediate apertured portion of substantial area, saidv sheet metal member having spaced portions thereof bent at substantially right angles thereto to form spaced bounding wa1 1s,a gong, electromagnetic gong-striking mechanism, and means mounting said gong and mechanism in the space between said apertured portion and said bounding walls Awith at least one of them secured to one of said walls.

15. In construction of thercharacter described,

in combination, a conduit box having a knockl out in a wall thereof and having supporting means, electromagnetic signaling mechanism, and means relating said mechanism to said outlet box, said means comprising two complementary sheet metal means shaped so that, when placed together, they form a complete hollow enclosure, means mounting said signaling mechanism with-y in said enclosure and between said two sheet metal means, one of said two sheet metal'means being flanged-at an end thereof and the iianged end engaging the other of said sheet metal means, means acting through said flanged end for holding said two complementary sheet metal means together, and means securing said assembled complementary sheet metal means to the supporting means of said conduit box.

16. In construction of the character described, in combination, a conduit box having a knockout in a wall thereof and having supporting means, signaling means comprising a gong and electromagnetic gong-striking mechanism, and means assembling said signaling means to said conduit box, said assembling means comprising two complementary sheet metal means shaped so thaty when assembled to each other there is formed thereby a completely enclosed space therebetween, means mounting said gong-striking mechanism within said space, means mounting said gong to one of said sheetzmetal means, one of said two sheet metal means having an area and shape to substantially match the open end of saidcondui-t box and thereby form substantially a closure for the latter, and means securing said assembled complementary sheet metal means ,to the supporting means of said conduit box, thereby to hold said sheet metal means in box-closing position.

1'7. In construction of the character described, in combination, a sheet metal casing having a louvered front wall provided with opposed'y end walls extending substantially, at right angles to the front wall, said front wall having extensions substantially in its plane adapted to rest against and be secured to the supporting portions of an outlet box, electric signaling means mounted to the rear of said louvered front wall and between s-aid opposed end walls, a member of sheet material substantially U-shaped invcross-section and forming, when assembled to said louvered front wall, the three remaining walls of said casing and thereby completely` enclosing said electric signaling means, a terminal board carried by one of said casing walls to the rear of said front wall and having a bind-ing post exposed outwardly of said casing and in electrical connection with said signaling means, and means holding said- U- shaped member in assembled relation to said front wall.

18. In construction of the character described, in combination, a conduit box having a knockout in a wall thereof and having supporting means, signaling means comprising a gong and electromagnetic gong-striking mechanism, and means assembling said signaling means to said conduit box, said assembling means comprising two complementary sheet metal means, one of said two sheet metal means having an area and shape to substantially match the open end of said conduit box and thereby form substantially a closure for the latter, and the other of said sheet metal means comprising means of sheet material substantially U-shaped in cross-section and forming, when assembled to said one sheet metal means, a casing-like structure enclosed on atleast four sides thereof, means mounting said gong and gong-striking mechanism within said casing-like structure, and means securing said assembled complementary sheet metal means to the supporting means of said conduit box, thereby to hold said one sheet metal means in boxclosing position and said U-shaped member in-` teriorly of said box.

CHRISTIAN MILLER. 

